A new organisation has been established to give Isle of Man sportsmen and women the opportunity to enter off-island team competitions and leagues.

Sporting Club Isle of Man officially launched today after a year in the planning, in an attempt to give those that participate in Manx team sports the platform to play in the highest levels of their respective sports.

FC Isle of Man, the football club formed recently with the intention of entering the English non-league structure later this year, will fall under the umbrella of the new organisation.

A release announcing the Sporting Club’s creation explained: ’Sporting Club IoM has been established to support anyone in the local community with aspirations and dreams of playing within the top echelons of team sports.

’By doing so they will not only be enhancing their own prospects, but also helping to build a positive sporting legacy for the Isle of Man.

’As a nation, the island can be rightly proud of the sporting success that our talented athletes have achieved at elite level on UK and international stages.

’We want to build on this. We want Isle of Man-based teams to be given the opportunity to compete regularly at these levels. We have the talent. Sporting Club IoM will create the teams.’

One of the driving forces behind the new organisation is chair Tony Keating. He sits on the board of the new club alongside Paul Jones, Ty Smith and Raj Nandha.

Keating, who also is chairman of Ellan Vannin Gaels Gaelic Football Club and treasurer of Ramsey Rowing Club, added: 'After getting involved with the discussions behind FC Isle of Man, we wanted to broaden the idea to other sports.’We want to create an opportunity for local sportspeople to play team sports and showcase their talents off-island.’

Far too many of our talented athletes have felt that they have been left with no option but to leave the island to achieve their sporting dreams, which can have a detrimental impact to our community.’

We believe Sporting Club IoM can be a solution to this issue by creating new pathways to help grow and nurture the next generation of team players, capable of excelling at elite sporting levels both on and off the field of play.’

Keating hopes the island’s community will get behind the new venture, supporting the teams when they play at home among other things.’

We’re hoping that people from outside the usual sporting circles will also get behind the project.’

We want to make the home fixtures an occasion for all the family and community to attend.’

We’re also keen to limit the negative impact the new teams will have on existing local sport and structures, making sure fixtures don’t clash, for example, so everyone can get behind them.’

Sporting Club is in the process of applying for charitable status and is developing a community-owned multi-sports model, similar to those found elsewhere at the likes of FC Barcelona, SL Benfica and Olympiacos SFP.

It will be partly funded by an annual membership scheme, which will be open for subscriptions at the end of next month.

March will also see the announcement of the club’s next two teams to join FC Isle of Man in the organisation’s fold with men’s and women’s teams from other sports being revealed during the week beginning March 9.